Jillian Dodd - Hate Me

None of these incidents have effected ticket sales. Box offices are recording what should shape up to be a record-setting weekend. Despite her dismal personal life, it looks like Abby Johnston may finally win an Oscar.

Excerpt from Movie Critic, Bart Wallow

This movie achieves that rare combination of being a big box office hit and having a gritty, raw performance that really shows off Abby’s acting chops. That she’s damn hot in this movie hasn’t hurt ticket sales, either.

Then I start searching for information on the remake of A Day at the Lake . I find a small blurb in a trade magazine.

Search For The Next Abby Johnston Falls Short

A Breath Behind You Films CEO Vincent Sharpe has been touring the country, looking for the next Abby Johnston to star in their remake of her cult classic, A Day at the Lake . Sources from inside the company say that the search has not gone as planned, and that they will soon have to start looking at more seasoned actresses. Only three roles have yet to be cast. Sources say that Luke Sander, former child star who just wrapped the lead of Danny Zuko in the remake of Grease was rumored to be in the running to play the boyfriend. His publicist says he has withdrawn his name from consideration due to a conflict with another project. No word yet on who might play the killer.

I breathe a sigh of relief about Sander.

I also realize that I haven’t heard anything from B since I got notification that my birthday gifts arrived at his hotel.

I decide to call him.

He doesn’t answer, so I leave him a message.

“Hey, it’s me. Just calling to wish you a happy early birthday. I sent three packages to your hotel. It says they were delivered, so hopefully they found their way to you. I also wanted you to know that I’m not mad at you. I understand why your dad doesn’t want you to help me. Anyway, um, happy birthday again. Hope you have a great day and we can talk soon. Bye, B.”

KNOCK KNOCK.

I’m startled by the loud knock and drop my phone.

“Who is it?”

“Aiden.”

I glance at the clock, verifying that it’s a little before four, then open the door.

“I need you to come with me,” he says, pulling me out the door.

“Why?”

“I need to show you something, but we have to hurry.”

“Can I grab my coat?”

“Nope, you won’t need it.”

“You’re being awfully bossy.”

He grins at me. “I’m sorry, but we’re in a bit of a time crunch.”

“Did something happen with the picnic baskets?”

“No, I just need to show you something.”

“Is it bad?”

“I sure hope not,” he says as he leads me in through the back door of Hawthorne House.

I follow him up the stairs to the third floor and laugh when he goes into someone else’s room.

When I catch up to him, I stop in the doorway and stare.

I don’t know why he's rushing up here, but I do know I’ll remember the way Aiden looks for the rest of my life.

His entire body is bathed in the golden light that’s streaming through the window, almost making him glow. They say some people can see the color of your aura, and I know without a doubt that Aiden's must be the purest of gold.

He holds out his hand, so I walk across the room toward him.

“Whose room is this?”

He doesn’t reply, just kisses me instead.

His lips press against mine, his tongue slips into my mouth, and I could care less whose room we’re in or why.

For a brief moment, I wonder why he dragged me up to someone else’s room just to kiss me, but those thoughts quickly evaporate when he moves his hands, one tangling in my hair and the other pulling my waist closer to his.

I slide my hands up the front of his shirt, needing to feel his skin.

I’m getting ready to unbutton his shirt and strip it off him when a loud HONK startles me.

Aiden smiles against my lips. “The honk means it’s time.”

“Time for what?”

He spins me around in a little dance move so that I’m facing the window, wraps his arms around my waist, and rests his chin on my shoulder.

“Time to look outside.”

I look out the window and discover the reason for Aiden's bright glow.

The sunset is beautiful tonight.

Gold and red rays of light are fading to pink between layers of clouds.

“What do you see?” he asks.

“An amazingly beautiful sunset.”

“You’re half right.”

He steps closer to the window until I’m almost smashed up against it, moves my hair off my neck and kisses it.

And I could care less about the sunset. I just want to kiss him.

He kisses my cheek, blinks slowly, and then says, “Look down.”

“Ohmigosh!” I say breathlessly, not able to believe my eyes.

Now I understand why he brought me up here.

Why the horn honked.

“Top of the Eiffel Tower, Sunset,” dreamily escapes from my lips as I look down at his house project.

It’s a homemade version of the Eiffel Tower. I can only see the pinnacle from up here, but I know exactly what it is.

“It's beautiful, Aiden.” I turn to find him down on one knee.

I swear, I just forgot how to breathe.

He takes my hand in his. “Keatyn Monroe, vous me faire l'honneur d'être mon jour pour l'hiver formelle ?”

I may have forgotten how to speak, too.

His godly powers are running strong tonight.

I nod.

And keep nodding.

Then I finally mutter, “Yes.”

I recover a little, finding my voice, and finish, “I’d love to do you the honor of being your date for Winter Formal, Aiden.”

He stands up, takes my face in his hands, and gives me a movie-ending, sweeping-epic-romance kiss.

After the kiss, I open my eyes and smile at him.

“You’ve had the whole dorm in shop class working on building the Eiffel Tower for the last two days just to get a dress-down day?”

“Not exactly. We’ve been working on it since we chose French as our next theme. I wanted to ask you to formal at the top of it.”

“But that was over a month ago. And when I was still dating Dawson.”

Tears start to fill my eyes.

I can’t believe he built me an Eiffel Tower.

“What can I say? I was optimistic. And no crying.” He quickly puts his lips on mine and makes me forget my name.

He kisses me.

Kisses my neck.

Kisses my nose.

“I know we’re supposed to be handing out picnic baskets now, but I was trying to time it with the sunset. I didn’t think we’d get it up in time. And I was worried you might have already seen it.”

“My room faces the woods. I miss all the good stuff.”

“We’re going to miss handing out baskets if we don’t get going.”

“I can live with that,” I say.

“Perfect. That means we have time for one more kiss.”

One really long kiss.

Fifteen minutes later, I’m outside, staring up at the Eiffel Tower they built in awe.

From the top, I could only see the metal pinnacle of it, but from down here, I can see that they have covered the metal with flattened soda and beer cases that are duct-taped together. It seems a little odd, seeing brand names emblazoned on the sides of the Eiffel Tower.

I start laughing. “It’s like an advertiser’s wet dream.”

Aiden laughs with me. “Yeah, well, we needed something to help support it. We couldn’t get it to stand on it’s own.”

“I still can’t believe you did this.”

“I can’t believe it hasn’t fallen over yet.”

“Do you think we’ll have fun at Winter Formal?” I tease.

“I think it will be a night to remember.”

We walk hand-in-hand down to the Student Center where the French Club is handing out the picnic baskets that everyone pre-ordered.